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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24190771">so much depends on -</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hexiva/pseuds/Hexiva'>Hexiva</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mr. Robot (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Character of Color, Canon Queer Character, Complicated Relationships, Fix-It, Huddling For Warmth, M/M, Multi, Only One Bed, Possibly Unrequited Love, Pre-OT3, Pre-Slash, Sharing a Bed, Tyrell lives, s4e4 fixit fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:40:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,961</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24190771</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hexiva/pseuds/Hexiva</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>S4E4 fixit fic. Leon finds Tyrell and Elliot before Tyrell can die, and brings them to a Dark Army safehouse. The only problem: the heating won't work, and there's Only One Bed.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elliot Alderson/Leon, Elliot Alderson/Tyrell Wellick, Tyrell Wellick/Elliot Alderson/Leon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>so much depends on -</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They approach the white van slowly, ice sinking into their flesh, the eerie mist of the snowy forest dampening their footsteps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man in the driver’s seat looks up at them, and as if in slow-motion, Elliot watches him lift his gun. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We’re going to die here, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thinks, not for the first time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s the sound of a gunshot. Elliot stumbles back, certain he’s been shot, it was so close, he could hear it in his ear - </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes land on the man in the driver’s seat again, and he realizes the Dark Army man is well and truly dead this time, his head blown off, the inside of the van splattered with red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, fuck,” he says, and turns away to be sick. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Elliot?” Tyrell says. “Elliot! What happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There are footsteps, and a new voice. “Be chill, man. I ain’t here to finish you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Elliot wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, and backs up, his spine pressed against the side of the white van. There was a time when he would’ve been delighted to see Leon, his best bud Leon, but now he </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Knows it was all a trick, Leon was working for the Dark Army all along. And now Leon is gonna kill them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon is standing there in a big camo coat, a rifle in his hands. But the barrel is pointed down, away from Elliot and Tyrell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you?” Tyrell says, and it comes out weak, childish, confused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leon,” Elliot answers. He feels bad for Tyrell, always so out of his depth, always pretending to be something he wasn’t. “He’s Dark Army.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not anymore, cuz,” Leon says, easily. “I’m my own man now. Full-time freelancer. Been looking for you two for </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours. </span>
  </em>
  <span>How the fuck you manage to get this lost?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tyrell looks between Leon and Elliot, confused. “If you’re not Dark Army,” he says, “Then why were you looking for us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“’Cause Elliot’s my boy,” Leon says easily, and Elliot swallows. Leon says it like it’s so easy, like he takes it for granted that Elliot is worth caring about, and when he says it like that Elliot almost believes him. “We’re bros, him n’me. I wasn’t gonna let him freeze to death in the middle of whatever this bullshit is.” He gestures with his free hand to both of them. “Now come on. I’ve been looking for you two for ages, I’m freezing, it’s too late to get a ride back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Too late?” Tyrell asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gets real cold here at night. Hypothermia is no joke, my man. S’cool, tho, I know a place. Safehouse, not that far from here.” Leon grins. “Dark Army won’t mind if we crash at their place overnight. They won’t think to look for you there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tyrell stares at Leon with big, blank eyes. He was certain, so certain, that he was going to die here tonight. He was ready for it. After everything that’s happened, why shouldn’t he die? Why shouldn’t he finally, finally get to rest?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elliot goes to follow Leon, and then stops, looking back at Tyrell. “Come on,” he says, his pale, bulging eyes focused on Tyrell’s face. “This is our out.” He searches Tyrell’s face for something. “I’m not gonna leave you here to die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Because you feel guilty? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Tyrell thinks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Or because you actually like me? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t matter. Tyrell never could say no to Elliot. He follows the two of them out into the woods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This part of the woods seems indistinguishable from any other to Elliot and Tyrell, but Leon seems to know which way he’s going, striding confidently through the dark trees. Tyrell’s feet are numb. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, after what seems like an eternity, they come upon a cabin. Leon fishes a key out from between two of the boards making up the windowsill, and unlocks the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to warn Darlene,” Elliot says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Already covered, cuz,” Leon says. “She knows. You worry about you for right now, okay?” He sets the key down on a table. “You two get settled. I’m gonna go get the generator started, get us some heat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And before Tyrell can say anything, the door is shut, and he’s left alone in the freezing, dark cabin with the love of his life, a man who doesn’t give two shits about him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a small cabin - just one room, a cabinet, a small table, a bed shoved in the corner. Four walls to keep out the cold, and not much else. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>warmer in here, but they can still feel the cold seeping into their bones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if this is all a dream?” Tyrell says, abruptly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elliot groans. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know we’re not still out there, freezing to death in the snow and this is all just - just our brains trying to pretend it’s all okay?” Tyrell continues, his eyes intense in the dim light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because last time that happened to me, it was a lot weirder, okay,” Elliot says, rubbing his face. “Just sit down and calm down.” And Mr Robot adds, with Elliot’s voice, “This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>news, all right? Don’t overthink this. Either of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tyrell looks quickly over at Elliot, and blinks. “Is he here right now?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Elliot says, looking over at Mr. Robot. “He usually is.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Especially when you’re around, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thinks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>He </span>
  </em>
  <span>is the one you’ve been talking to this whole time,” Mr. Robot adds, stepping up. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>the one you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tyrell makes a face. “This is all too confusing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think it’s confusing for </span>
  <em>
    <span>you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>you got no idea how bad it is from this angle,” Mr. Robot says, laughing slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door slams open and Leon steps in and closes it behind him, looking uncharacteristically concerned. “Generator’s out of power,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A chill goes through Elliot, and he’s not sure if it’s from the cold itself or from Leon’s words. “So . . . what now?” he asks. “Are we gonna freeze to death?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Naw,” Leon says, with slightly strained confidence. “Probably not. Listen, there’s three of us. A body is just one big heat source. So all we gotta do is stay close and stay warm.” He pulls open the cabinet and takes out a wool blanket, draping it over the single bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Elliot thinks, and freezes up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, hell no,” Mr. Robot says, in his head. “None of that touchy-feely crap.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to,” Elliot says to him, and he forces himself to approach the bed. He hates being touched, and he can see there’s no way all three of them are going to fit into that bed without touching. It’s too much. It’s too much. He already feels raw, every nerve set on edge. And now he’s supposed to cuddle up with a capitalist psychopath who once shot him and a Dark Army hitman who once held him hostage?! It’s too much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon sits on the bed and looks up at him, his eyes dark and warm. “Hey.” He beckons to Elliot. “Come here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elliot approaches, slowly, shaking with cold and tension.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon reaches out, slowly, and puts his hands on Elliot’s tense shoulders, looking into his eyes. “Do you trust me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And there it is. Despite everything, the Dark Army, all the shit he’s seen Leon do, Elliot </span>
  <em>
    <span>does </span>
  </em>
  <span>trust Leon. Leon is his friend. Leon was there for him when he needed him. “Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And do you trust him?” Leon asks, casting a glance at Tyrell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elliot looks over at Tyrell. That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? He thinks about Tyrell, sitting on a log in the dark and the cold, saying </span>
  <em>
    <span>you honestly never cared about me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, saying </span>
  <em>
    <span>go without me, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and then getting up to follow him, choosing to look past his own misery and loneliness because Elliot wanted to save his sister. Elliot knows Tyrell doesn’t give a damn about Darlene, not like Elliot does. He did that for Elliot. Some tiny little fucked up piece of Tyrell’s cold dead heart really does care about Elliot. “Yes,” he says, again, looking back at Leon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then you’re safe here, cuz,” Leon says, his eyes kind. “You’re with friends. All you gotta do is lie down and let us keep you safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elliot swallows. Leon stands, and very slowly puts his arms around Elliot, pulling the shorter man down to lie on the bed next to him. He is warm, so warm, and Elliot finds himself clinging to him desperately. It feels like forever since anyone’s touched him - it always does - and it terrifies him and warms him at the same time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon’s touch is soft, and Elliot finds, to his shock, that he really does feel safe in Leon’s arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” Leon says, setting his chin on Elliot’s head, and looking up at Tyrell. “Get in, man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tyrell is standing a yard away from the bed, his shoulders tense, neurotically adjusting his tie. He looks at Leon and Elliot as if he thinks they’re crazy. “I’m gonna sleep on the floor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Leon says, annoyed. “You’ll freeze to death. Get into bed. I promise not to get fresh with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I’m not straight, right?” Tyrell says, not moving an inch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon rolls his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. Of course Elliot’s friend would be just as stubborn as Elliot himself. “I don’t give a fuck about that labels shit. You like guys? That’s cool, man, I don’t give a shit. Get into bed. I ain’t gonna stab you if you pop a boner, if that’s what you’re concerned about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tyrell laughs, short and bitter. “It’s not that.” His eyes flick to Elliot, who shifts in Leon’s arms to look up at him quizzically. “You really don’t have a clue, do you?” He laughs again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Elliot asks, sitting up in bed. Leon figures he’s got this handled, so he stays lying down, watching. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He knows,” Tyrell says. His eyes flick to the other side of the bed, where he imagines Mr. Robot is sitting. “The other you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mr. Robot laughs. “He’s in love with you, kid,” he says, and the world blurs and now he’s the one in the body. He gets up, and steps closer to Tyrell. “Hey, kid. It’s me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tyrell’s eyes open wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All this love bullshit? That’s not really what I’m about. That’s more Elliot’s job . . . not that he’s done such a great job of it so far. So, no. I don’t love you.” Tyrell winces visibly. “But I don’t want you to die.” Mr. Robot puts his hands on Tyrell’s shoulders, just like Leon did to him. “Come on, kiddo. How long has it been you and me against the world? Don’t give up on me just yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tyrell shut his eyes, tears running down his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When he got up and left you,” Mr. Robot says, “In the woods, when you were sitting there on that log . . . I stayed. I stayed with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s all it takes. Mr. Robot is leading Tyrell back to the bed, and the three of them are curling up together under the wool blanket. Elliot is in the middle, his head resting on Leon’s chest, Tyrell’s face pressed into his back. In his mind, he imagines himself split in two - Elliot curled up in Leon’s arms, and Mr. Robot holding Tyrell tight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elliot thinks back to the prison, to the time Leon told him to dream of a future worth having. He dreamt of them, then: Tyrell and Leon. This isn’t the future he dreamt of, not by a long shot. But they’re still here. His friends, who saved his life. In this moment, he isn’t alone, and it feels good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiles and buries his face in Leon’s chest. He is safe. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first Mr. Robot fic. Hope I got the characters right! Likely more to follow. Thank you to versaphile for beta-reading this fic even though this isn't her fandom. If you liked this, or had any thoughts, please leave a comment!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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